Losing the Cursed Name
by InkWave
Summary: Not Complete, Continuation Uncertain. The worst and best day of Harry Potter's life were one and the same. One the same day Voldemort was resurrected he learned that he wasn't the BWL, that he wasn't a Potter, just convenient. But, he was free, from expectation, the stares, the danger, the threat of death. But either way there was no going back.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

As the familiar and loathed tugging took Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory away from the middle of the triwizard tournament maze, all Harry could think was 'Fucking Portkey'. And then they landed, Harry's face smashing into the wet grass. At least it wasn't pavement, but looking around at the graveyard that surrounded them he wondered if a road wouldn't have been better. Worst of all, though a deserted graveyard at twilight was bad, was the sight of his parents' betrayer Peter Pettigrew. The trail of events felt like a nightmare, as if he was lost in a dream. Cedric murdered. He caught and helpless tied to a gravestone with a horribly familiar name. Voldemort's resurrection. And finally the moment he had been dreading, his death while surrounded by the watching Death Eaters.

"Do you know how to duel, Mr. Potter?

He didn't really know how. He didn't want to try just to be played with. His only real option was escape and that was looking farther and farther from possible despite his no longer restrained status. Just as he was about to say no, another voice came from behind him. It was like looking in a mirror, a self-improving mirror at that. His reflection, taller by a few inches with a much better build, summoned his wand out of his hand; its going so easily felt like a betrayal. "I do," the decoy said. Voldemort was just as confused as he was. Who the hell was this and where did he get a body improving polyjuice potion?

"Who are you?" demanded the suspiciously familiar voice from the center of the Death Eaters.

Voldemort's reply was instant, "Crucio. Don't forget you place Malfoy. I am the one asking questions here."

The impostor smirked, "I'm the real Harry Potter. That boy over there is my double Adris Hasteur."

For the first time Harry had something in common with Voldemort's and his Death Eaters, complete and utter disbelief. Voldemort and Harry spoke at the same time, "Of course, I'm/he's the real Harry Potter."

With a complex wand movement Harry felt a spell flow over him as if he had been submerged in a warm swimming pool and was just getting out. Looking down in horror Harry saw his skin tone changing as well as the shape of his hands. But worst of all was the knowledge that this was his real appearance. It felt right at an instinctual level.

"You mean he was a fake all along. You still have the blood protections of you mother…" Voldemort was so angry he couldn't speak.

But the real Harry wasn't going to let go of his upper hand. "Yes, I'm the real Harry Potter. I have been trained from a young age to fight you, rather than living in ignorance with my muggle relatives."

"But that's my wand," the newly fake Harry said, but no his name was Adris wasn't it.

"This wand never Chose you, it was mine and it was brought back to Olivanders for you to retrieve. I gave you a reflection of my memory of getting my wand so that it would feel like your own. I've been the one facing Voldemort all this time, with the Philosopher's Stone and the Chamber of Secrets, whenever you began to confront him I would come and send him back." Another even more complicated wand movement and Latin he couldn't quite make out let Adris remember his world falling out from under his feet. Going through all the challenges to reach the Philosopher Stone, telling Hermione to go back while he went forward and then nothing, unconsciousness. And his memory of the Mirror of Erised, gone as if he had never seen it. He probably hadn't. Adris was thankful to find nothing missing from his third year; his memories of Sirius were real. Sirius' words might have been meant for someone else, but it was still his. The largest memory change was that of the Chamber of Secrets. The real Harry had been beside him all along, getting caught on the other side of the cave in with him. They had fought the Basilisk together. Harry casting powerful spells towards the Basilisk as Adris wished for Albums Dumbledore's help. Fawkes's arrival with the sorting hat helped turn the battle. Fawkes fought the Basilisk and Harry fought with the more and more solid Tom Riddle while Adris retrieved the Sword of Gryffindor from the sorting hat and then slayed the Basilisk. Finally Harry killed the Tom Riddle diary with the basilisk fang. Adris then passed out as Fawkes healed him with a tear. All the rest of the remembered experiences were his own, Adris.

Relieved that his life really had been his own, his experiences, his life, he was quite happy not to be the Boy-Who-Lived. Adris was in such a state of shock reliving the past that he hardly noticed the duel between Voldemort and Harry going on beside him. Survival instincts had kicked in leading Adris to hide behind a somewhat damaged gravestone. Adris wondered how on earth he was going to escape. Suddenly a golden light appeared on the other side of the gravestone. Peering over, Adris saw a golden cage forming around Harry and Voldemort and then lifting them into the air. Ignoring the panicking Death Eaters, Adris crawled toward Cedric's body and the tournament cup, feeling terribly vulnerable without his wand. The only way back was the way he had come, Portkey.

As Adris finally reached Cedric's body after hiding multiple times, he heard shouts and a colorful barrage of curses coming in his direction. Harry raced in front of them dodging from side to side nimbly, the lucky bastard with perfect timing. After all it had been Adris that Voldemort had Crucioed. It wasn't something he was likely to forget for the rest of his life.

Harry summoned the Portkey to him as he grabbed Adris; "Hold onto Cedric's body," was all Harry got out before they were all taken away from the graveyard that would haunt Adris' nightmares.

#$%^&*

Adris already thought that he had a well developed dislike of Portkey's. It had been a massive understatement, he absolutely loathed them. Not holding on directly to the Portkey made the trip even worse, not to mention the almost unbearable weight of Cedric's body pulling on his arms. When they arrived in front of the maze and in full view of the Triwizard cup audience all Adris could do was roll away from Cedric and throw up. The audience rushed towards them, most prominently Professor Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic. It reminded Adris of a stampede of elephants he had seen once on the Discovery channel he had seen while channel hopping. Luckily they were all aimed at Harry, he could answer everything. Looking up he saw Snape's suspicious gaze on him. Harry and Cedric had left the maze together and come back with an extra person, the fact that the new person wasn't Adris wouldn't be apparent to anyone.

After Harry's announcement that Voldemort was back, he had been escorted away quickly by Moody from the hysterical crowd. As Adris started to get up he felt a heavy hand come down on his shoulder. Turning as he stood, he was not surprised to see that the hand belonged to Professor Snape. Just as the torturous interrogation was going to take place Professor McGonagall came and told Snape to take him to the headmaster's office.

The walk up the headmaster's office took place in complete silence, except for Snape's murmured healing spell for the cut on his arm and a disgusting potion that Adris forced down. Despite Snape's practically nice demeanor, Adris could feel the Professor's eyes on him. Adris speculated that Snape had already noticed how familiar he was with the castle and particularly the route to the Headmaster's office.

After they finally arrived in the office, with Fawkes as its only occupant Snape immediately sneered, "What exactly was that farce outside Mr. Potter. I wasn't to know exactly what is going on here."

Adris' realizations were finally starting to catch up with him after their sudden escape, "I would like to know that as well, Professor. Do you have any knowledge on why that Harry declared me Adris Hasteur in front of Voldemort and his followers?"

"Hasteur?" Snape asked, for once visibly shocked, so shocked he didn't even cringe in response to his statement of You-Know-Who's name. "Adris? But they said you had died with your mother in a Death Eater attack."

"How was she killed," Adris asked suddenly, recalling the terrible memories that Dementors called up for him. The screaming, the laughing, the green light.

"Killing curse," Snape replied uncommonly sincere, lacking his usual sneering, sarcastic and general unpleasantness completely lacking. They stood there staring at each other in silence until they heard the staircase activate and the Headmaster enter the room.

"I'm sure you both have lots of questions my dear boys, some tea while we talk?"

"Automatic no's issued from both their mouths. Glaring at each other they both took seats and watched the headmaster impatiently as he conjured and poured tea. Reaching for his bowl of lemon drops with his mouth open, Adris' patience snapped.

"What the hell is going on Headmaster? Why is there a real Harry potter out there and why was I living his fucking miserable life while he was receiving battle training from a young age?" Ignoring Snape's automatic scolding to be respectful, Adris' gaze focused on the Headmaster as he stood in front of his hastily pushed away chair.

Motioning him back into his chair Dumbledore started," As you now know you are actually Adris Hasteur. You mother, Alexia Hasteur, was murdered the night of Halloween that Harry Potter banished Voldemort. You had been hidden in a closet. When members of the Order of the Phoenix, a group fighting against Voldemort, went to investigate the Dark Mark over you house you were found and taken back to Hogwarts for medical treatment as was Harry. Unfortunately, you had no legal guardian specified in your mother's will, she was the last of her line, and your father's identity had never been revealed."

Adris heart sunk. He still had no other family. But he still had some hope; his father's heritage might result in some blood family. Blood family, at least he now knew he and the Dursley's weren't related, thank god. Dumbledore continued on.

"The Country was celebrating, all cares forgotten in the tale of their Savior, the Boy-Who-Lied. But I knew Voldemort had only been defeated, not destroyed. I needed a way to protect Harry, and you needed a place to stay. I had already known one wizard that had ended up in an orphanage," he said with a nod, both of them thinking of Tom Riddle. "You already looked alike with black hair and pale skin, though your eyes are dark blue now. It seemed a perfect shield for Harry, as he needed to be protected so that he could defeat Voldemort in the future. It was for the greater good, and it enabled the public to have a figure of Harry Potter to keep them going as the real Harry worked to be able to protect them, and you."

"HEADMASTER that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say. Not even coming close to you ridiculous words starting every feast. I had to be abused by people I wasn't even related to, kept ignorant of my own magic, and forced to be a public hero for something that had absolutely nothing to do with me. All for you fucking Greater Good," Adris yelled.

The Headmaster smiled sadly, "Yes. It was too important. But it seems that Harry didn't get rid of your instinctual magical connection, just the glamour."

"Connection?" Snape asked as Adris was gaping in horror.

"Yes, it gave you similar personalities, similar instinctual magical skills, most obviously in Defense. You couldn't be too different when you switched back. It also enabled you to feel Voldemort through you reflection of Harry's scar. Wait a moment while I get rid of it … undisturbed."

Adris' raging temper which had started to make itself known by shaking the window's and the delicate instruments all over the office suddenly dissipated. Adris had gone cold. It wasn't just his memories Dumbledore and the Golden Boy had influenced but his personality, his magic even. He knew from now on that he was never going to trust Albus Dumbledore again.

Snape had been startled by the earlier display of magic, but much more so at Dumbledore's words. Dumbledore had taken a Hasteur and cast a magical influence on a member of a family known for Old Magical knowledge and Gifts. Hasteur's were well known for being able to resist almost all magical influences. But, if Dumbledore had cast them on a baby his magic wouldn't have been strong enough to combat it. It made sense too; he had been very surprised to discover that Potter had cast off the imperious in DADA on the first try. He had written it off as him being a stubborn, stupid child but that had been too easy an answer. Shivering, Severus noticed that the air temperature had dropped tremendously, centered around Hasteur.

"Do you have anything else to tell me Headmaster?" Adris asked as coldly as his breath that was starting to become visible. "No ... the ... I will be off, I can't talk to you anymore or I am going to destroy something important."

Calling after the Headmaster said, "You might go somewhere you could require it."

Severus was left standing there, the floor knocked out from under him. That had been a very large personality change. It had been almost Slytherin.

"Severus if you would go after him to make sure he doesn't hurt himself. You might also give him this potion; he had some growing up to do." Severus recognized the potion immediately; of he had made it years ago. Spinning around his robes swirling behind him he followed the new Hasteur to the Room of Requirement.

"He asked you to follow me?"

"Yes, and he gave me a potion for you to take. Harry potter might be 14 going on 15 but Adris Hasteur is 16 as of a few weeks ago."

"Of course, I had to be eleven at the same time as Harry Potter otherwise it wouldn't make sense to the inquisitive, nosy public. So I was a year and one month older than him."

Once they got in the room, the cold atmosphere following them, Severus could see tables and rows of fine glassware surrounding them. Adris held his hand out for the potion. He downed it whole with a disgusted expression. Severus had been wondering if he would grow more magically mature but nothing prepared him for the burst of magic that came out of Hasteur. Of course, Severus could have hit himself. Adris had passed the Hasteur magical maturity in age by weeks and hadn't inherited his gifts because of the influence of the potion.

The room suddenly created a window to the outside of the castle and opened. A black and silver cane flew inside faster than a broom, straight at Adris. Severus kept expecting it to slow down but instead Adris caught the cane a foot from his face spinning with the momentum.

Treating the cane as a staff Adris drew a large circle around him and then a ring of runes on the inside and them another circle glowing a light blue. Severus could see that Adris' eyes were completely glassed over, the magic had taken control. Severus saw a rune suddenly started being drawn on Adris' skin just above his collar bone. Severus wasn't very knowledgeable about runes but he knew that one of them was for snakes and another for knowledge. Another set was written on the back of his neck, 'inner sight'. Then even more surprising wings were drawn on his back, bird's wings. And then another symbol appeared on his right wrist, a knife and on the other side an exact sketch of the cane in his hand. More symbols started to appear one by one between his hipbones. Once the circle finally stopped Adris was left only wearing a pair of jeans looked like they would have fallen off except for the belt that barely held them on. The rest of his clothing falling in scraps cut by the runes being inscribed on his skin.

Severus was more than startled, but then so was Adris. Sending a wave of magic from the cane exploding all the glass in that direction, Adris turned to Severus, the magic still riding him. "I need to go to Gringotts. Right now." Severus knowing a lost cause when he saw it handed Adris his outer robes and shrunk them to the correct size and followed him back to the headmaster's office which was thankfully empty, if surprisingly.

Stepping through the floo after Adris into Gringotts he wasn't surprised to see that the Hasteur had managed to throw the entire bank into a shocked silence. Robes not even buttoned up Adris stood over the Hasteur seal on the floor of Gringotts as all of the Old Magic families had their crest's emblazoned there. As he watched the seal lit with the same glow from before as Adris traced the outside of the circle around the seal with the cane as he stood inside it.

Cries of shock and surprise sparked and traveled among the few customers there, a much reduced crowd since they hadn't been able to get seats at the tournament. Suddenly books came from within the seal with different symbols on the front of them. As they circled Adris books that matched the symbols gracing his skin dropped to the floor in a pile as each symbol glowed until each symbol was accounted for by a book. The seal suddenly went dark once more.

Adris stood there in surprise wondering what exactly had happened. Turning to Severus to ask Adris was approached by a goblin. "Lord Hasteur, it is good to see you take up you inheritance. We had started to think you had been murdered despite your vault considering you still alive."

"I … I was being held under a de-aging potion that probably … interfered," Adris speculated quietly trying to avoid the notice of the crowd, despite the fact they were all staring at him.

Severus stepping forward suggests they go into a private meeting room to continue any discussions. A dazed Adris followed behind him. He was a Lord, like Malfoy's father, what the hell?

#$%^&*

_Half an hour previously, Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office_

_Albus Dumbledore was not having a good day. Voldemort had gotten a body back, and had called his Death Eaters. Not to mention that Harry had immediately declared Voldemort returned the instant he came back. He had thought had had made his thoughts clear to Harry just a few days ago. Harry was to try and stop Voldemort from getting his body back. And if he didn't get their soon enough, he was to let Voldemort know about his double and then return with proof of Voldemort's existence. That would restrain Voldemort's action as he tried to investigate Harry, while the world prepared for his return. But no, he had returned with no proof outside of a dead body, with his double at that. It would have been so much more convenient if he had just left him there._

_Albus had made an enemy tonight and he knew it. A Hasteur as your enemy was not good at all. He hoped that Adris would still be invested in destroying the Dark Lord but he wouldn't know for a while. He had previously avoided all contact with Alexia Hasteur and particularly with her father, who had created quite a few problems for him decades ago. But Adris wasn't really as Hasteur since he lacked the knowledge of someone from Old Magic. And none of the other Old Magic families displayed their allegiance so openly so Adris wouldn't be able to find other instruction._

_The boy was still a child. He would need to impose a secrecy spell on his previous identity soon so that he wouldn't reveal the secret, but he couldn't have done it with Severus present. Severus needed to give what information that he had to Voldemort when he called. Why Harry had to go and tell Voldemort about his training he couldn't understand. Maybe he hadn't been straight forward enough with the boy, not many people beside Severus understood his riddles. But it was plain strategic thinking; don't tell the enemy you hidden strengths. But Harry was truly a Gryffindor; no matter how much Albus hoped he would show basic strategic thinking it was heart first with the rest just following._

_As he was considering Harry, he burst into his office panting "Moody was a polyjuiced Death Eater; I have him restrained in his office with the real Moody that was trapped in his trunk. He can get a trial with Vertiserum, it's the proof you need sir."_

_Albus smiled, Harry hadn't let him down yet, he shouldn't have given up hope. "Lead the way my boy." Soon enough he saw the fake and real Moody in Moody's office. He quickly called for Amelia Bones the head of the MLE. He knew if Fudge got involved immediately then he might try and cover it up. He had already been trying to deny Voldemort's return. She soon arrived with Aurors. They were all soon shocked to discover the fake Moody's identity was Barty Crouch Jr. who had supposedly died in prison. All and all things were going quite well, until as Harry and he were walking towards his office when they were spotted by Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger. Before they could go spilling secrets he all hurried them into his office, with a smile._

_Before he could even get a word out Ms. Granger pounced. "Professor Dumbledore, who is this boy? He looks like Harry, but he isn't at all. He's much too healthy, well Harry was healthy but not that tall or filled out …"_

_Mr. Weasley soon interrupted, "What happened to you mate? Did Voldemort … do something to you? Do you not remember us? But Hermione's right you look to healthy, the other boy looked more like you would expect after facing You-Know-Who."_

_Before Dumbledore could get a word in edgewise, Harry went and spilled even more secrets. He explained that the other boy had been Adris Hasteur his double, and that they were finally switching back since he was trained enough and Voldemort had returned. The war was starting soon and since Harry was a target it should be him facing Voldemort instead of his untrained double, since he was the only one that could kill the Dark Lord._

_Dumbledore quickly interrupted before Harry could tell them about the prophecy. The boy couldn't keep a secret to save his life it seemed. "Harry will be taking his rightful place and I was hoping you would help get him settled in, smooth the edges with people he doesn't know. Your family Mr. Weasley will know the truth as well as the Order of the Phoenix which you will all become very familiar with soon. Now Harry you can't be seen before everyone leaves for the summer since anyone looking at you right now will notice the differences. You trip on the train you will have to be under glamour but they generally don't last long or under too much scrutiny. After the summer you new look will just be written off as a growth spurt."_

_"Were should I hide until then Professor," Harry asked._

_"Why don't all three of you go to the hospital wing and get acquainted, there is a lot you need to know, and I am sure that Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger have a lot of questions for you." All three left soon after that though both Ron and Hermione looked like they wanted to ask more questions. Albus was happy to leave it to Harry to deal with. Finally he could relax and plan for Voldemort's next move._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Adris' head was spinning. The goblin had given him his family ring and a very through explanation of his accounts, which while quite full paled in comparison to the Potter vaults. Adris wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that, but felt it gave him something to prove to himself. He wasn't going to be living off of the money his ancestors had accumulated but earning it himself. The one thing that the Hasteur vaults were absolutely rich in was knowledge, a much more useful inheritance. The books describing his familial Gifts were just the beginning.

After a hesitant question the goblins described that he had been given access to the Potter trust vault as long as he was the publically recognizable Harry Potter. Adris had been more than happy to let the goblins know that that no longer applied. The other inheritance the goblins hinted at was hi title and political clout, which was next to useless to Adris since he had no idea what to do with it.

Finally, leaving Gringotts with a bag bursting with galleons ready to outfit his new life Adris attempted to part ways with Professor Snape. It was getting late in the afternoon and he had a lot of shopping to do. "Thank you for taking me to Gringotts, Professor Snape," Adris said with probably the first amount of untainted gratitude he had ever shown the potions master.

"And where do you think you are going, Mr. Hasteur off for a late night stroll before going back to Hogwarts. You are returning with me, as the school year is not over," Snape replied with his usual sarcastic manner.

"I am going shopping."

"I would have thought that you reduction in fortune would curtail any useless spending rather than increase it. Maybe the disgraceful state of your wardrobe that belongs in third rate thrift shop might be improved upon, but you have survived it for years another two days won't be the end of the world."

Looking incredulous Adris replied, "A chance to improve my wardrobe without the possible punishment implied might be nice, but Professor, I don't have a wand."

"Not even you Mr. Po … Hasteur would be foolish enough to lose you wand, or at least I had thought so.'

"I didn't lose it. Harry Potter as he swept in to save the day took it from me. It was his wand I the first place. Not to mention I no longer really have much of any possessions since they are all 'Harry Potter's'."

After a long pause Severus inclined his head in acceptance, very grudging acceptance, "But I should accompany you and no one knows where we are at the moment."

"Why should I care? Adris Hasteur isn't a Hogwarts student; let the real Harry Potter face the music. I am no legally considered an adult as the Lord of Hasteur, one of the many benefits of not being Potter anymore. I'm going to be staying at the Leaky Cauldron this evening before I get my affairs in order," Adris said as they both started down the Alley, one towards Ollivanders and the other to the apparition point. Adris stopped suddenly surprising Severus, who was then slightly worried as the boy started laughing half madly. "I don't have to go back to the Dursley's. No one can make me, no fake blood ward or anything. If anything the real Harry Potter will have to go there in my place. This might just be the best day of my life since I realized magic existed. God, I bet he's only there two days before he calls for reinforcements."

Severus was shocked to say the least. The boy had been staying with Petunia, Lily's horrible sister and her tub of lard husband. He hadn't known magic existed all his life? Maybe Harry Potter had lived the pampered and praised life style that he had always believed but his double certainly hadn't. "If anyone at the school wants to contact you I will let them know where you will be staying. I wouldn't expect Albus to be more than a day, as prone to meddling as he is." With an almost understanding look Severus Snape gave the confused but freed boy a bit of advice. "You might want to speak with the Daily Prophet before they publish tomorrow's edition, around 8 o'clock this evening to make sure they get your status correctly printed."

Leaving that piece of gold Severus Snape swept away, his robes swirling greatly diminished by the loss of his outer robes. Adris knew that as soon as he was decently dressed and armed he should do just that before the Headmaster could spin the story his way. He was done with being manipulated by the twinkling old coot. He was a different person now and he was going to show it. He, as the fake Harry Potter, had already experienced the cruel side of the press with his participation in the tournament. It would be different this time.

He started with a quick stop at Madam Malkin's to get 'everything' as he put it. He had quite scandalized her when he had taken Professor Snape's outer robe of to have his new measurements taken. She hadn't expected him to be half naked, and he gave no explanation. But the runes had quickly silenced any questions she might have asked. After telling him that one complete set of clothing and sleeping clothes would be ready in an hour and the rest the following day Adris had left for Ollivander's. Noticing for the first time that he wasn't wearing glasses, Adris looked in the mirror that he had avoided earlier instinctually. He was different, unrecognizable. Long straight black hair a few inches below his shoulders, blue eyes, inches taller and shoulders quite a bit broader, his build unfortunately still petite from undernourishment as a child. He was beautiful, almost as pretty as Malfoy, for a boy. Malfoy wasn't even that pretty, everyone just said so … he didn't think that, not at all. Well maybe just a little bit from an aesthetic point of view.

Hurrying over to Ollivanders after getting over his new bodies distracting appearance, he wondered what Ollivander would say. No Mr. Potter holly 11 inches with a phoenix feather core, but something different, unexpected. Swinging the door open into the as usual dimly lit store Mr. Ollivander only smiled a greeting, "Ah, Mr. Adris Hasteur back as yourself for you real wand." At Adris' shock, Ollivander waved a hand, "I knew you would be coming back after your 16 birthday, though this is later than I had thought."

"What do you mean? Why 16? Why did you give me his wand in the first place?" Adris asked malice starting to creep in to his voice. Ollivander had to have been in on the scheme.

"I gave it to you since your first wand didn't matter," Ollivander said ignoring the menacing thump of Adris' black and silver cane on the floor. "A Hasteur receives their true wand after they have received their gifts and only then. It's usually a lot of trouble to find a wand to give them the first few years because every wand will react about the same to you while to the right other child it would light up the store. Giving you an already claimed wand that didn't need to be held by its original owner for a few years was perfect."

His sense of righteous indignation dying in the face of the craftsman's honest ambivalence Adris dutifully showed the man the runes between his hip bones. According to Ollivander they stated what branches of magic that he had a natural aptitude for, but still required the effort to pursue them. He then proceeded to make Adris a quite impressive custom wand. With a bit of his blood, a strand of his hair, and a thunderbird feather encased in a wand made of ebony, birch and mahogany. It made Adris wonder what had changed in his magic. He had thought that Ollivander only made wands with Phoenix feather, Dragon heartstring, or Unicorn hair, a Thunderbird was something else altogether. But despite that it was fitting. It felt like it belonged in his hand and it looked like a work of art with the mahogany forming runes circling the wand of ebony as the tip and handle glowed with the white Birch.

Ollivander then sent him quickly out of the store with a wink telling him he needed to get on with his errands before the Alley closed. With time to spare Adris went to the trunk store to buy a new one, with quite few more features than his last one. After a bit of browsing he selected a four compartment trunk that contained a closet for hanging robes, a bureau, a space expanded bookshelf, and a normal compartment. Adris was ready to begin collecting the possessions of his new life because he had no idea what he would be allowed to keep from his old one.

A long stop at Quality Quiditch Supplies left him with a beautiful Darkstar One, a new broom that he had heard rumors of in Ron's Quiditch magazines but weren't ready for mass production yet. Adris had seen the broom and fallen in love. The store clerk Ian, sweet naïve Ian had been about to put it in the display window.

"By the love of all that's holy let me buy that broom," Adris had said immediately just on sight. The sleek lines, the dark wood and white twigs were perfect.

"I'm sorry this is just for display and very expensive. It's one of only two that we have received and the other is on reserve."

"Who is getting a broom like that? A professional?"

"No, I don't think so or they would have said. It's probably for some muckety-muck from the Ministry's son. But that's what the boss man said."

"If I can prove to you that I know how to handle a broom like that will you sell it to me? I would hate for it to be given to a kid that was overpowered and then never used it."

"You're a kid yourself," Ian said astonished at this worshipful pleading.

"I've got wings on my back and the broom is calling me."

"Wings?" Ian laughed disbelieving, "If you've got wings show me and I'll sell it to you. Wings, never heard that before." Adris quickly unbuttoned his robe and turned his back to the clerk pulling his hair to the side. He was really had to buy new muggle clothes if he kept stripping all over the place. The clerk disbelieving even reached a hand out to touch them, which Adris quickly stepped away from. "I got my magical Gifts today and I've recently lost my Firebolt. I really need to fly." Ian indubitably impressed sold Adris the broom for retail price without even a markup, with a slightly awe filled 'Happy Birthday'. Adris after leaving the store was surprised, did everyone know that magical Gifts came at you 18th birthday? Did everyone get mysterious tattoos? Why didn't he know these things?

After stopping by Madam Malkin's to change into his new clothes he placed Professor Snape's robe and his Gift books now resized to their proper shape in his trunk. The jean's Madam Malkin a little too happily burned on the spot when he said he wanted to dispose of them. After letting her know that he would be staying at the Leaky that evening she promised to send over his things in the morning.

Adris started with a short trip to Flourish and Blotts in which he had the store clerk send him to the section on Old Magic both practical and historical. The section had been quite small and he had swept it all into his arms before going straight to the checkout line. He had then asked the clerk behind him to find a book o the history of the Hasteur family and he was finished. Another even quicker stop at the Diagon Alley branch of Scrivenshafts and he had all the writing supplies he needed.

He was ready to face the Devil, his trunk shrunken in his pocket. Striding confidently into the Daily Prophet headquarters', he asked to see Rita Skeeter.

"I'm sorry she is working on the front page article furiously for tomorrow's special edition about Harry Potter's disappearance at the Triwizard tournament."

"I know," Adris said disdainfully, purposefully acting like Malfoy. He needed every bit of attitude that would get him through the door, "I have very important information for her." The secretary intimidated sent him to her office, he couldn't imagine how she had gotten through Hogwarts if he intimidated her like that, imagine her reaction to Professor Snape.

A quick walk through the corridors that were filled with more travelling papers than people Adris found Rita's door with her name written in her favorite lurid green ink. Shuddering he knocked and then entered the room. Rita looked up startled, her quill sliding off the piece of parchment. "You!" she said looking at one of the developed pictures next to her which showed him, Harry and Cedric's body just after their arrival in front of the maze.

"Hello, I'm Adris Hasteur. I thought I should drop by and clear up any misunderstandings before tomorrow's paper."

"Mr. Hasteur…"

"Lord Hasteur," Adris interrupted smiling politely.

"Lord Hasteur, I'm so honored to speak with you, please tell me about the event. I'm all ears."

"Of course Rita, may I call you Rita? I feel calling you Ms. Skeeter makes you see, too old. I would love to tell you but might you use that quill?" Adris asked pointing at the normal quill she had been using for editing instead of her signature Quick Quotes Quill, "I've heard Quick Quills miss-dictate and miss important bits of information."

"Of course," she replied. Message sent, message received. It was an even exchange, a Slytherin exchange.

"This afternoon I was in a muggle town when I thought I felt magic coming from the graveyard. Curious I went to investigate. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a giant cauldron and a ritual in progress. Bone of the father, flesh of the servant, and blood of an enemy. And there was Harry Potter tied to a gravestone. I was so surprised that the man performing the ritual stunned me from behind and took my wand. I woke up later tied to a gravestone surrounded by Death Eaters and someone they called their master. Imagine my surprise when after torturing Mr. Potter with an Unforgivable he, You-Know-Who challenged him to a duel."

"But something odd happened as you might guess, how else would a fourth year escape You-Know-Who. Something connected their wand glowing gold, after that I managed to get away and found the other boy's body, Cedric Diggory, I think, so unfortunate. Then Mr. Potter came running telling me to hold onto the body as he summoned a Portkey. It was absolutely one of the most terrifying moments of my life," and it really had been. Facing Voldemort would always be terrifying no matter how much practice he got, but it had only been his second time in reality.

"That's absolutely fascinating Lord Hasteur. You claim that You-Know-Who has been resurrected," Rita said her teeth almost frightening as the gleamed. Knowing he was on dangerous ground, Adris turned it back on her.

"After hearing that ritual and seeing Death Eaters gather what else could I think. And the way he went after Mr. Potter for revenge, really who else but You-Know-Who or the Death Eaters has a grudge against him. I might have been very young but he saved our world then, though it was too late for my family to escape."

"Your family, Lord Hasteur?"

"Yes Rita, my mother was murdered the same night Harry Potter defeated You-Know-Who." Adris was really becoming tired of referring to Voldemort by his stupid society nickname. But only Harry Potter and Dumbledore referred to him by name so he would need to keep up the habit, at least for a while. Emotionally Adris was still detached from his mother's death, he had poured so much energy and emotion into the Potter's that he was very cautious of repeating the same pattern. But the Hasteur magic seemed a much safer way to learn about his family, to be closer to them. He would no longer just be filled with one sided stories of their kindness and successes.

"I'm sorry for you loss." Adris could already see the pity story for him, with a strong Harry Potter coming to save the day. But that was fine. He might have faced all the triwizard tournaments trials with help from his friend but he would be glad to be out of all the Harry Potter madness. It wasn't him that was cursed with a life filled with trouble but rather Harry Potter.

"Thank you for your time. I should let you go back to your article. The people deserve to know what is happening otherwise it wouldn't be safe" Adris said escaping Rita before she could start on the personal questions. Adris Hasteur had experienced momentary excitement in his life but otherwise was quite uninteresting, especially to a reporter, and he planned to keep it that way.

As he left the Daily Prophet offices Adris wondered how Rita would spin the article. If she would continue with the Ministry line or print the truth to sell more newspapers. Entering the Leaky Cauldron Adris was about to make his way towards Tom to ask for a room that night but only seconds after entering he was assaulted by a very upset Mrs. Weasley and a very annoyed Professor Snape.

"Harry, my dear child, we were so worried. Why did you run off like that? Ron and Hermione were looking for you, not to mention Ginny. Come let us got back to Hogwarts at once. All alone who knows what might have happened to you." Mrs. Weasley after her frantic hug was pulling him towards the fireplace.

Pulling away from her as gently as he could Adris replied, "That's not my name Mrs. Weasley. My name is Adris Hasteur." She smiled warmly, as if happy to learn that. But she was not surprised. Adris turned to Snape lifting an eyebrow completely lost.

"In you absence Mr. Hasteur Dumbledore launched an immediate quest for your retrieval. Returning to Diagon Alley Mrs. Weasely was frantic that you weren't here before it got dark. Her hysterics overwhelmed all conversation, by everyone." Snape was starting to look even more annoyed but luckily it seemed to be mostly directed at Mrs. Weasley.

"I was doing some shopping as you can see."

"Yes, dear, you look quite nice in your new robes," Mrs. Weasley puttered along. Adris resigned to another night at Hogwarts, at least it would give him time to gather some of his personal possession's from the Harry Potter trunk and talk to Ron and Hermione. There were just so many things for him to do.

"Well I might as well go back for the night. Getting things sorted out will take a while," Adris said with a nod at Professor Snape. Snape was here to reluctantly identify him while Mrs. Weasley was there to guilt him into going back.

Stepping through the fireplace Adris couldn't imagine that this conversation with Albus Dumbledore would go better than the last one had.

#$%^&*

_One hour previously, Hogwarts, Infirmary_

_Hermione wasn't sure what was going on, her world had tuned completely upside down in the space of an hour or so. From the outside everything looked the same, even normal. Harry was in the infirmary at the end of the year after the annual disaster involving life threatening situations he had just scraped through with injuries that would be fine in a day or two, some years it was a bit longer. But this wasn't her Harry, this one didn't know that she had memorized __Hogwarts, a History__ front to back, this one hadn't saved her from a troll first year, this one couldn't understand the depth of the connection that she had felt with her Harry. He had been her first friend, not first at Hogwarts, but first ever. And now this fake Harry, she couldn't think of him as the real Harry since to her he hadn't been, was going to step into her Harry's shoes as if nothing was different. They had never met before; though he seemed nice she doubted it would ever be the same._

_Ron, on the other hand to her eternal disgust was taking the news just fine, he treating the new Harry like the old Harry, but would stop occasionally to explain inside jokes. Inside jokes were supposed to be private with the people who were there. Ron was acting like he had always been friends with Harry, new or old non-withstanding. She wondered how the old Harry was going to feel, she would feel betrayed, but she really should think of him by his new name Adris. He was a pureblood now, probably, but that wouldn't matter._

_Hermione was happy to learn that her trip with Harry and the time turner had been Adris not this new Harry. But looking at it logically, the new Harry couldn't have stepped in since he hadn't been present in the time that they had turned back so he wouldn't have known what was going on. The fact that he had been present at all the rest of Adris' confrontations with Voldemort was just fine with him. Ron on the other hand seemed almost vindicated, as if Adris didn't matter as much since he hadn't been the one confronting a Dark Lord. This Harry had been the one that saved his sister; she could see it written across his face. But Ron had never been good at hiding his emotion, heart pinned to his sleeve._

_Harry was explaining that he had grown up with a pair of retired Aurors that had been teaching him magic for years as well as other types of fighting. This intrigued Ron immediately, the glory of being an Auror had always appealed to him, at least Hermione thought so. It was a way for Ron to earn his own glory. It didn't sound to appealing to her, it didn't sound like he read many books at all._

_Suddenly the doors to the infirmary burst open. It was like her nightmares after third year, a Dementor coming right at the three of them already starting to lower his hood. Ice started forming on the windows and she could see their breath fogging the air. She really should have learned the Patronus charm, she had already known that it had saved Harry's life but it hadn't seemed that important once the Dementors left the school. The new Harry had drawn his wand and was pointing it at the Dementor before yelling, "Expecto Patronum." His Patronus ran after the Dementor cornering it at the end of the infirmary, just as the Patronus was going to strike out the Dementor threw itself out the window before floating up into the sky until they couldn't see it anymore. Only once the danger was passed did Hermione noticed the form of Harry's corporeal Patronus, it was lion._

_This boy in front of her really wasn't her friend, her Harry. This was a doppelganger out to steal Harry's life and leave him with nothing. Not that he wasn't a nice boy he was, even an honest one if only a bit too inclined to tell secrets or so she thought. Life was going to change drastically now. Adults suddenly rushed into the infirmary the Headmaster followed by the Minister of Magic all of them demanding to know what had happened. She wondered if both Harry's understood how much had changed, she wondered if the rest of them, particularly the Headmaster understood what was going to happen. He always seemed to know what was best but this time he might have pushed things a bit beyond his ability to handle._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Albus Dumbledore office was more than crowded when they got there, it was packed. There was the Minister surrounded by Aurors, a floating body, Harry Potter, an oddly old looking Moody, Professor McGonagall, and even surprisingly enough Ron and Hermione. The Minister was insisting that the prisoner should be kissed immediately and Harry should have driven it away with a Patronus, Adris immediately wondered what form the real Harry's took. Thinking about it he wondered what his Patronus was now, still a stag.

"He should be given a trial immediately Cornelius. Voldemort has come back and you can't deny it, especially with Barty Crouch Jr. as evidence," Dumbledore insisted.

"He can't be back," Fudge hissed in reply, "The people would panic, my ratings would fall. Mr. Potter is just a misguided child that wants attention, more than he already receives."

"Excuse me, Minister. But I was there too. I saw it as well. The truth is so horrifyingly fantastic that Mr. Potter couldn't have made it up. I just now gave my statement to the Daily Prophet." Adris could see Fudge's jaw drop, while Dumbledore's mouth was twisted in half smile and half grimace. He hadn't had control of a word he had said. Snape almost smiled, but he had larger things to worry about.

"If You-Know-Who was back he would have called his Death Eaters as you claim, but Snape is still here. Don't think I had forgotten you were one of those scum even if you were pardoned," Fudge spit nastily.

Harry stepped forward letting Adris breathe a little easier let the Savior handle it. "Minister, look at Mr. Crouch's arm he said pulling up his sleeve. The mark has darkened completely; you knew something odd happened when the mark didn't completely disappear after he 'died'." It was so odd for Adris to watch himself, or what he thought he should look like and not be in control. As if someone had been Polyjuiced to be him, except it had been the other way around.

After a final round of arguments Fudge and the Aurors took away the prisoner to be put in a holding cell. Dumbledore proceeded to try and get rid of another half including Mrs. Weasley, Ron Hermione, and Professor McGonagall who was having none of it.

"Albus, I must insist what is going on," McGonagall said at her most stern, "This is not my student Harry Potter but an imposter. Surely you haven't been taken in."

Adris started laughing hysterically that had been what he had thought until the magic had hit him after reaching his real age. He barely noticed as Professor Snape gave him a calming potion. Everything was just so ridiculous.

Dumbledore began his explanation of the safety measure of a double, clearly steering the conversation away from the fact that it made him a target. Ron to Adris's disgust just went along with it as did Mrs. Weasley though she looked a bit more concerned.

Adris his giggles and then hiccups finally faded away interrupted before the Headmaster could get too ahead of himself. "But the real Harry Potter is coming back to Hogwarts next year after living with his aunt this summer."

Harry was startled, "No, of course not. Why would I go stay with the muggles? I need to continue my training at home."

Albus in complete agreement nodded, "Yes, dear boy, I'm afraid that it is you who must go back to the Dursleys." Hermione was shocked. Adris laughed in his face.

"Don't call me dear boy Albus or I won't know who you're talking about. You have absolutely no control over me. I'm in no way related to the Dursley and I'm not fucking Harry Potter or am I going to pretend to be any longer. Harry can strengthen his own blood ward this year, if they even exist." Everyone was shocked, probably too shocked to even tell him off for swearing at the Headmaster, not to mention calling him by his first name. But he wasn't even a student here. Turning just before he left Adris said to the real Harry Potter, "Good luck being me, it won't be what you used to." His voice had been frigid and Adris could feel the cold air flowing around him. He headed to Gryffindor tower; it was time to get his stuff, or what his trunk could spare.

At the base of the stairs Adris heard running footsteps behind him. Turning he smiled as he saw it was Hermione and Ron running after him. They finally caught up with him in front of the fat lady's portrait. "Harry … Adris what are you doing? Yelling at Professor Dumbledore like that … though I do understand trying to send you back to the Dursley's." Hermione trailed off. Adris looked from her to Ron judging his attitude as well.

"You can't leave mate. We need to teach Harry Potter about Hogwarts and become friend with him life before, like we are," Ron said Adris' disgust curdled inside him at Ron's attitude. His slavish need to be friends with the Boy-Who-Lived, his desire for fame, it sickened him that their friendship meant so little to him He should have known. Ron hadn't believed him about the Goblet of Fire either, and he had been Harry Potter then. Hermione elbowed him but he just looked confused at why he had deserved it. Adris was happy that Hermione was still with him.

Hermione took over as they walked through the dormitory towards the boy's dorm staircase and his old room. "I understand why you angry Harry, no I mean Adris. That's exactly what you have to be angry over but the other, the real Harry needs our help to fit in. What if people other than McGonagall think he's a fake? The public needs him, we need him. Harry explained that he is the one prophesized to defeat Vol… You-Know-Who," she changed at Ron's jump of terror. "People we can't explain the truth too."

"And what is the truth Hermione, that two different people have been raised as Harry Potter. I don't have time to worry about Harry Potter Hermione; I have to worry about who Adris Hasteur is." While they continued arguing ignoring Ron's speculation about what the real Harry Potter would be like playing Quiditch, Adris sorted through his trunk. He left all the clothing, most of the books except for his well-thumbed Quiditch through the Ages. He then piled up other little things that meant a lot to him that he didn't use too often, Hagrid's flute, Dobby's socks, and Mrs. Weasley's first Weasley sweater. The only other things he really wanted to take was his Firebolt for sentimental reasons, but it would be too odd for Harry not to have it. The other things he really wanted were the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak, but neither of those belonged to him. Nothing in here really id except for a few presents, just before he closed the trunk he took out his, or rather Harry's photo album.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked scarred. She had known how much the photo album had meant to him. To realize it was all fake hit him again as he flipped through it. Reaching their picture's he took them all out. They were his memories; the real Harry would just have to make do with stories.

With everything put in his new trunk once more shrunken in his pocket Harry gave one last glance at a questioning Ron and a conflicted Hermione. Quietly he explained the biggest betrayal to Hermione, "They used a spell to change my personality and magic to be more like Harry's. I don't even know who I am anymore. Bye guys, maybe I'll see you at school next year. Write if you want, I'll write back." Adris left quickly, he had one quick question for Professor McGonagall then he was gone.

Seeing her conveniently as he exited the tower he walked straight toward her. McGonagall looked like she had expected the opposite, "Mr. Hasteur, while this situation is beyond difficult, swearing at teachers is forbidden. 10 point from Gryffindor."

Adris smiled sadly, "Professor, I'm not a student here you can't take points." Her mouth almost caught open, she finally nodded. "I hope to see a Hogwarts acceptance of a home schooled child in a month," he asked. That was what he really wanted to know. Could he come back to Hogwarts as himself? It was still the only home he had ever known.

"Of course, Mr. Hasteur. You will have to take a few tests to see what level you are at but everything should be fine." Stifling a groan, he had though being in the triwizard tournament got him out of finals.

Smiling ruefully Adris replied, "I might surprise you yet, I have a lot of studying I plan to do this summer."

"Yes," she replied with a serious nod at his cane. He had wondered why Ron and Hermione hadn't noticed it.

Harry, no Adris, finally took his last step off Hogwarts property. He might not know who he was yet but he was certain to find out. His first free summer was waiting for him.

#$%^&*

_Three days later, Surrey, Number 4 Privet Drive_

_Harry was in over his head. Yesterday at Kings Cross he had thought his relatives were a bit abrupt, rude even referring to him as boy and not helping him with his trunk. He had left the previous Harry's owl at school which had thought was convenient since she wouldn't obey a word he said, but now he was deeply regretting that. He wanted now, needed to call for help. At seven o' clock that morning he had been woken with a pounding on his door and told to make breakfast. At first he hadn't understood at first, he hadn't slept much since the poor excuse for a bed he was using was awful, it had reminded him of his survival training in the woods. But up he had gotten only to find himself in an unfamiliar kitchen not knowing what to cook or even how to cook it. He had made soup before and reheated things with magic but he didn't know how to work these muggle devices not to mention he didn't really know how to cook anything. All his previous attempts at giving his adopted parents breakfast/teachers breakfast in bed had all ended up in pillars of smoke._

_He still didn't really know how Dumbledore had convinced him to come here even if it was only for two weeks. Blood wards were useful since they provided extended protection even when outside the wards but still. He needed help, and he didn't have a bloody owl. He was starting to understand why the girl, Hermione had given him worried look when he had gone off with his relatives. Wait, she had given him a telyfone number, a muggle means of communication. He just needed to type in the number and call for help. Running upstairs he got the number and dialed it in. It didn't work something about dialing one before the number. He tried again looking around hoping his relatives hadn't noticed he wasn't cooking yet. Finally it began to ring, he had almost thought the thing didn't work, "Hello, this is Hermione speaking," he could hear clearly through the telyfone._

_"Hermione, its Harry, Harry Potter. You must send for help, I don't think I can keep up the deception that I am the same person. Send for Dumbledore, send for anyone. I don't know how to cook breakfast." Suddenly the phone was ripped from his hand and he was back handed into the wall._

_"Boy what the hell do you think you doing? You're a freak; don't talk to other freaks with my phone. Where is breakfast? You stupid lazy boy, talking to you girlfriend instead of cooking, you won't be getting any breakfast or lunch today," his uncle was bright red and partially purple. Harry raised his hand to the bruise on the side of his face. That had been totally unexpected. How had the previous Harry lived here? Had he been … abused? Abused living his life?_

_Shaken but otherwise fine Harry stood and responded, "I don't know how to cook."_

_"Do you think I dumb boy? You've been cooking breakfast since you were five years old. Or did the freaks do something to you to make you forget? You know the rules."_

_"No, I don't know the rules."_

_Vernon was gaping; this brat was standing up to him. He hit the brat up the side of his face again and then stuffed him in his cupboard. "And you won't get out until you've seen some sense. Freak!" It was dark, but Harry could make out a few childish drawings on the walls. What the hell was going on? Hopefully the girl would send for help otherwise he would be in serious trouble. If only he could use magic, but this house didn't have strong enough wards to disguise it from the Ministry. He didn't want to go through the trouble of explaining it to a disciplinary committee._

_But, maybe, if they didn't let him out in a few hours he would do it. That at least would let the headmaster know something was wrong._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Adris couldn't believe that three weeks had already passed. After spending the night at the Leaky Cauldron, Adris had worked on discovering what property he owned. It turned out that the house had had been born in was still standing. Hasteur House was a medium sized exquisite Victorian house whose defining feature was round tower that dominated the back right corner of the house that overlooked a small lake. Throughout the whole house the ceilings were towering, the windows large and the hardwood floor a gleaming cherry underneath all the dust. It was intimate while not being cramped filled with light, everything that he could have dreamed of, much better than Grimauld Place. It had just had the small problem of dust covering everything, as well as providing housing to a small family of kneazles, and unfortunately only the lightest wards.

Fixing the wards had been his first project and it turned out that his Gift book that aligned with the knife had had more to say about wards then he could have ever dreamed off; the fact that most of the wards were illegal, or so he assumed, since they used blood was unimportant. Adris had examined the history of Old Magic he had gotten from the bookstore, and determined that the Ministry had just written off the whole branch of magic as Dark fifty years ago to make it easier for them. Luckily enough any families that traditionally used Old Magic were grandfathered in, making it passably legal for any Hasteur to use it as long as they didn't flaunt it. Pretend it was legal and the Aurors would treat it as such, not that they understood what they were trying to forbid.

Adris had ended up hiring Bill Weasley to come help him set up the foundation. He had had to wait until Bill's last job had finished. Meanwhile, Adris had studied and decided which legal and illegal wards that he wanted. Otherwise he had picked up the house and studied his other gifts. Magic did wonders for cleaning. Well, he had also had to feed himself and move the library of books from the Hasteur vault to the library, the books would immediately transport themselves back the vault upon the death of the Hasteur that had removed them from the vault. Adris thought that was an amazingly useful piece of magic because otherwise he imagined most of them would have been stolen since the wards would have trouble keeping out a third year. The furniture itself was fine, but he had needed to replace the linens which the moths had gotten into. The kitchen had also required some updating, but the china it contained was beautiful. Unfortunately the house didn't contain any magical portraits; instead each member of the family was required to write a journal during important times in their lives.

The house was finally starting to feel like a home on the day Bill arrived. He had already stocked up on food in preparation for the wards. Hearing knocking on the door, Adris quickly moved to open it. Unbelievably the wards had only covered the house and not the property, Aurors must have put them up after his mother's death, or maybe Order members. Opening the door Adris smiled, "Bill it's so good to see you."

Bill looked surprised, make that more than surprised. "If I hadn't gone home to the Burrow yesterday and heard the story I would have sworn you were hitting on me."

Adris laughed, he couldn't not laugh with the amount of relief pouring over him. Bill still treated him like he always had; some people weren't going to change even if his identity had. "I imagine getting the story out of them was a challenge and a half with everyone bursting in."

"I wouldn't have believed them if I hadn't met Harry Potter there, not to mention you picture in the Daily Prophet," Bill said smiling oddly.

Adris felt odd himself, "He was there?" he asked tentatively as if his world had started to fracture. Too bad it had already started.

"Yeah, Ron and Hermione are teaching Potter, what Harry Potter should already know."

"You don't … call him Harry?"

"You will always be Harry to me after speaking with you at the Burrow and Ron talking about you endlessly. Though, that hasn't stopped him from still speaking endlessly about the Boy-Who-Lived. It's a bit disgusting. Speaking of which the twins told me to tell you that Potter didn't even last a day at the Dursley's before he called for help." Adris laughed at that, attempting to mentally draw away from any thought of Ron and his reactions to famous people. "Ron doesn't deserve you as a friend right now. I'm not even sure why you still care after he turned on you earlier this year."

Adris sighed, he might not have the same emotional reaction as he had as Harry but the same things were still important. "He was my first friend," was all he said. "But let's get down to business. This is my old family home and the wards were destroyed when my mother was killed. The Aurors or someone put up some light ones to discourage thieves of opportunity. The wards couldn't have kept out professionals for the life of them."

"Did you get the Aurors to take them down for you?" Bill asked as he entered the house, looking around admiringly.

"Of course not," Adris replied confidently, "Nobody could keep a Hasteur out of Hasteur House. Not that it would have been a challenge. Let me get my cane and we can investigate the wardstones." More than a little surprised at seeing the cane, Bill followed along. He gave a very close look at the knife's Gift book that was opened to a section on wards on top of the table in the library.

"So how many of these wards are going to be strictly legal?" Bill asked recognizing a blood ward when he saw it.

"Hmm, there is a list next to the book of what I want to add," Adris said retrieving the cane from it stand on top of the mantle of the large fireplace. "I swear this stand was meant for a sword. But I don't expect you help on those."

Bill's eyebrows rose as he continued reading the list, "You realize that I'm not familiar with a least a quarter of the wars on this list."

"Really, that seems a bit strange."

"No one of the Old Magic has redone their wards with any professional help for centuries."

"Well I guess it's just your lucky day."

Lucky week was more like it; Adris and Bill first scrapped the Auror ward and started putting up the wards that Bill already knew in the new wardstones that Adris had contracted from the goblins. It was a crash course in Wards for Adris, despite the fact that they had been all he studied for the weeks previously. Except for the few days that he had taken what should have been his Hogwarts finals, they had practically killed him. They had also shown how much re-familiarizing he would need to do in preparation for the next school year. Bill even ended up staying over a night or two as they got into studying the application of the Wards new to him. Bill had been a bit shocked by Adris' cooking.

"How come you know how to cook? I've been living on my own for a few years now and I've only learned how not to burn things."

Adris just smiled and replied that it had been a required skill of 'Harry Potter'. Bill's laughing reply was that cooking must have been what caused Potter to abandon his charade at the Dursley's. Potter had a lot to learn, particularly as he was already struggling with Harry's odd polite shying away from people that he didn't know. Potter was just too trusting to be shy. All in all, Adris felt like he had made his first friend as himself. He didn't worry at all about doing the blood wards in front of bill with his advice, though Bill's awe at their formation had been surprising.

"I can't believe that I'm seeing Old Magic right before my eyes," Bill had murmured once as Adris took up the Hasteur cane and inscribed a rune circle around the wardstone. Latin flowing from his lips had the magic riding him as he cut his left arm with the physical duplicate of his knife tattoo, filling the resulting engraved runes on the stone with blood.

"Is Old Magic really that rare? I had never heard of it but the amount of things that I don't know about magical society could fill a library," Adris asked later when Bill repeated his comment.

Bill's reply had been that he wasn't sure how many families still practiced it at all, but he was sure that it was less than a handful.

After they were done, Adris paid the second part of the price of his new blood wards. He couldn't leave the property for a month as the ward settled. Telling Bill to drop by whenever he had free time and wanted a nag free home cooked meal, he said goodbye, seeing Bill off with a large draft for Gringotts in hand.

He had been prepared for his house arrest since he had decided on the wards and had set up an owl order grocery system. He was more than prepared to be trapped at home, since he had a lot of studying to do.

His Gifts were for rituals, the knife, family protections, the cane, parselmouth a very rare gift among the Hasteurs, Inner sight, and animagus transformation, the wings. His talents, the runes between his hips, were for Ancient Runes, no surprise after the wards, Arithmacy, he was turning into Hermione, Charms, pleasantly enough and completely horrifyingly Potions. It made sense in abstract terms since he was good at cooking, but it was shocking. Shortly after determining his talents he had sent Hedwig, who had mysteriously shown up a few days after he arrived at the house much to his delight, to Professor McGonagall about his enrollment for the next year and the classes he wanted to take. To say she was surprised was an understatement

Mr. Hasteur,

Your enrollment in the upcoming fifth year has been confirmed. Before you can take the classes that you have requested you must demonstrate a certain level of proficiency since you OWLS are coming up this year. The previous placement test for the standard subjects that you took earlier in the summers is not sufficient for those advanced electives. Placement tests are available for the electives that you have chosen: Ancient Runes and Arithmacy, which will be administered within the month at your convenience.

Please owl the dates you would like these tests and I will arrange them.

Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

Adris set to it with a will. He skimmed the rest of the ritual book, glanced at the book about parselmouths and parsel magic, and buried himself in the books about his lordship cane and his inner sight. Inner sigh thankfully had nothing to do with Divination. But rather was a way to detect if any personality changing spell had been cast on your person or other and how to resist and remove them from yourself. Hasteur's had a basic resistance to controlling spells but it could be overcome, as had already happened to him. It also enabled him to look at his memories during meditation without the effects of emotions. It had been a revelation. All those fights with Malfoy because he had initially seemed like a bully and enjoyed sarcastic humor. Looking back it was even a bit funny seeing their childish revenge unclouded by Harry's immense righteousness enraging him.

It was only two weeks from the end of his house arrest when the first visitor came. And even more remarkably, it was Draco Malfoy. Malfoy had stormed up to the gate and immediately began walking in and out of the proximity wards; an effect quite similar to leaning on a muggle doorbell, and just as annoying. Adris quickly walked the 20 yards from the front of the house to the gate. The property was quite hidden in the trees except for the front of the house after you walked the half mile driveway. The backyard was even large enough for some judicious medium height flying, not to mention the small lake which didn't have another house on it. He had already taken advantage of the opportunity, practically daily testing out his new broom. It flew like a dream come true, not that he could really push its limits since that required too much height.

The moment that Adris was is semi-polite speaking distance Malfoy immediately demanded, "Are you Adris Hasteur?" At Adris's confused nod, Malfoy immediately continued, "I demand that you give my DarkStar One back immediately. I will reimburse you money, but it was reserved for me."

Adris almost laughed. Well he did laugh if you counted his incredulous snort. Malfoy was here for his broom, not because he had found out from his father that Adris had been Harry Potter previously, but for a broom. Adris almost started to like him for that, he knew they both loved flying to an almost religious degree. You couldn't really be seeker without being the smallest bit in love with flying.

"How'd you find out?" Adris queried quite curious.

"The stupid shop clerk Ian told me before I got him fired." Adris couldn't help it, he laughed. It was so Malfoyish and unexpected at the same time.

"Well you might as well _enter into my home guest_." Adris said opening the wards partially to allow him entry but restricted use of harmful magic. Malfoy's eyebrows rose as he felt the magic weighing on him lift slightly as the gates opened. Hasteur House was much more modes then Malfoy Manor but it still gave off the feel of old magic, which quite surprised Draco.

It had taken him quite a while to track down his broom thief since his father had been occupied. But along the way he had managed to get a bit of information about Hasteur. His status had been completely unknown, presumed dead until a month and a half ago when he had received his gifts, later than his sixteenth birthday. Once he had gotten the sales clerk to tell him about the thief's so called wings it hadn't been hard to figure out his identity, but an address on the other hand had been difficult. Despite giving an interview to Rita Skeeter, he was a complete unknown, not that he had told her much other than randomly being in the town the dark lord was revived in. He had finally gotten one of his father's informers at eh Ministry to look through the Auror files to find a record of Alexia Hasteur's murder and the disappearance of her son. All it had taken was a bit of judicious black mail.

"So," Draco asked backing down a bit, "I hear you have wings."

Adris just laughed as he headed around the side of the house motioning Draco to follow him, "Isn't it a bit too early in our acquaintance for you to try and get my shirt off?" Draco flushed despite himself that had been almost flirtatious. Older boys didn't flirt with him; they usually just attempted to demand his attention, and possibly an introduction to his father. Though they didn't usually cling to him like Pansy, which was a blessing.

"Ian implied that they were the only reason he sold you the broom so I'm ready to be impressed," was all he replied, definitely not flustered.

"That's right. But I'm definitely not letting go of the broom, you approval of my wings or not," Adris stated and then interrupted Draco's indignant reply with a slow, "But I could let you fly it some."

Malfoy was more than eager; he was like a puppy about to get his favorite ball thrown just so that he could fetch it. After a hasty agreement to keep the broom safe and below tree level Malfoy took off. Adris wondering what on earth he was doing watch him while halfheartedly studying on the back porch. After about an hour Malfoy came down, setting the broom against the thick banister as if it was made of glass, and sat at the table beside him.

"I thought you'd tell me to come down a while ago."

"You weren't really interrupting me. I was studying when you got here."

"Ancient Runes?" Malfoy asked peering at the small stack of books.

"Yes. I discovered I have a talent for them but before I can take the class I need to take a placement test."

"Hogwarts? But they don't usually take students halfway through their education," Malfoy said surprised.

Smiling thinly Adris replied, "I'm a special case."

Malfoy done with small talk launched into his praise of the broom, his disappointment at the limited height and his reaffirmed desire to get his hands on his own DarkStar One. Draco was so disarmed that it was only after he left with an invitation to come fly again that he realized that he hadn't gotten his broom and he wasn't even angry. It bore much more investigating. It was almost as if Hasteur had kept him off balance on purpose. But how had he done it when they had never met before? It had been quite a bit more than a pretty face. Confused Draco swore to come back until he figured it out.

Draco seemed to be the first of a flood of visitors. Rita Skeeter came to do a follow up article about him. Asking questions about where he had been for the past fourteen years. After letting her know that he was planning to go to Hogwarts for his fifth year to take his O.W.L.S., he hinted that he had been homeschooled and raised under another name to protect him until he inherited his family magic. More than that he did not say, leaving a disappointed reporter to write only a small column on him on the fourth page.

After that came Professor McGonagall as she inquired after his requirement that his placement tests take place at his home. But by the time he was serving her tea, she didn't need to ask, the wards spoke volumes. "You've put quite a bit of work into your new home Mr. …" she trailed off not sure how to address him in his new identity.

"Please call me Adris while we're not at school Professor McGonagall, I need to get used to it. And yes I have, though I had quite a bit of help from Bill Weasley." McGonagall's eyebrow rose at that. Bill's employment at Hasteur House had not been mentioned at any Order meetings.

Truth be known Minerva didn't think that anyone else knew where he lived, though quite a few people had been more than curious. Sirius Black had blown up at the last Order meeting, after finally getting back into the country from a mission with Remus.

"Why hadn't been told such important information about Harry? Do you even know where he is after you discarded him as no longer useful?" Sirius had yelled. Remus usually so good at calming his friend down had done absolutely nothing, he wanted to know too.

"Now Sirius, my boy, Harry is with the Weasley's learning about his double's relationships. It wouldn't be good if everyone knew he was different. I'm sure he is looking forward to meeting you as well." Albus had said in an attempt to calm him down.

"I don't care about the new Harry right now," Sirius had yelled. "I want to know about the Harry I know, Adris Hasteur. The one who saved me from being kissed by Dementors." Dumbledore had murmured something about letting the boy have his privacy as he learned about his new self and had moved the meeting on. Minerva had been quite certain that Albus hadn't known, and hadn't looked into it at all either.

"Sirius Black was wondering where you were. You might write him and Remus a letter Adris," she advised lightly not wanting to over step. Adris took that in. He had avoided thinking about Sirius. He wasn't sure he was ready to see his presumed godfather, but so much of their interactions were centered on hearing about his parents or Harry's. What would they even have to say to each other? But maybe in this way he could escape being seen as James. Everything was different now, it just remained to be seen if they could be close to each other.

"I might do that," Adris replied still unsure, "I was wondering if you might help me with one of my familial Gifts this coming year."

"A Gift. It is quite unusual that someone outside your family might help you with a Gift."

"I could be an animageous Professor, and I want to do it," Adris stated with purpose. The fact that once he mastered the transformation his wings might have other uses was something better left unknown. McGonagall pushed up her glasses, while people able and willing to put the effort into becoming an animageous were rare having it as a Gift was odd. She had never heard or read anything about it.

With a nod she moved on, "You will have to be resorted for the coming year, since it can't be assumed that you will be in Gryffindor again. It might actually be a disadvantage to be there for you personally."

"Yes. In close contact with my dorm mates it would be much easier to see through our deception," Adris replied sadly.

"It might on the other hand help, having people to cover any slips," she tried semi-conciliatory, or as close as McGonagall would ever come.

"Don't worry Professor, I'm sure that I won't be sorted into Gryffindor," Adris said with a smile.

"Then you might want to speak with Severus before the term starts," was all she said in reply before she left with a polite goodbye. This left Adris open mouthed staring after her in shock. Adris hadn't thought it would be so obvious, he thought that she might have thought of Ravenclaw given how much he had been teaching himself recently.

Obediently, if wryly, Adris wrote to Professor Snape.

_Professor Snape,_

_In preparation for the New Year I was hoping you could visit Hasteur House with the sorting hat within the week at your convenience of course. I have it on good authority that I will no longer be sorted into Gryffindor and hoped to avoid any scenes in the Great Hall come next term._

_I would also like to thank you for your previous advice about speaking with Rita Skeeter. My arrival was quite timely and her article surely demonstrated her change in tactics. If it had been otherwise I am sure my presence would have been ignored at first only to be blown out of proportion._

_Adris Hasteur_

Of course when Professor Snape did show up it was at the most awkward time. But really Adris's life had been filled with having horrible timing why should that change now that he wasn't Harry Potter anymore.

Draco had come over earlier, and even he had arrived at an awkward moment. Adris answered his insistent triggering of the wards with his face in a book. "Oh, Hello Draco," was Adris' absentminded greeting as he immediately headed back to the house still reading the book. Draco was about to break into a snobbish putdown as retribution of this tremendous affront at ignoring his presence. That is until Adris swore, 'Fucking Merlin!" Draco had never heard Adris swear before in his presence not that he had particularly had time but he was still surprised by the mix of crude muggle and wizarding swear words.

Sidetracked he asked "What's wrong?"

"I just found the list of things I need to do by my seventeenth birthday if I want to be able to claim the Hasteur Lordship."

"I thought you had at least skimmed all of the important books you needed to read for your Gifts?"

"I did but I missed the Hasteur Grimeour."

"You … missed … the Grimeour. Where did you leave it?" Draco had already noticed Adris' distracting habit of starting a book and then leaving it next to his chair when he had left the room. This happened until different stacks of books piled around the house until he couldn't find what he was looking for anymore.

"It was …" Adris voice lowered into the range of indecipherable.

"Pardon"

"It was in the bathroom," Adris muttered blushing. Draco couldn't hold back the gaff that burst out against his will. It was just … too much. As Draco broke down, Adris continued reading the requirements, "Fuck a duck," interrupted Draco's hilarity. He just raised an eyebrow. Pointing at the page, which Draco couldn't make out a word of, Adris exclaimed, "I have to lose my virginity. How does a book know that?"


End file.
